'Free CeCe' Graffiti Left on County Jail Building CeCe McDonald Was Held In

Graffiti seen on the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility on Tuesday morning. (Photo: Provided to Colorlines.com by anonymous tipster.)Image:

Share

Several "Free CeCe" messages of support were spray-painted on the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility where [CeCe McDonald](http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/05/cece_mcdonald_and_the_high_cost_o...) was staying Monday. Supporters gathered in front of the facility where McDonald--a young black transgender woman--was being held before being moved in to a Minnesota state intake facility in St. Cloud that will determine if she will be housed in a male prison permanently. On Tuesday, [state officials announced McDonald will initially be held as male](http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/06/cece_mcdonald--young_black_transg...) inmate until the state make its own determination of McDonald's gender. The graffiti was found after McDonald's supporters staged a protest demanding her release. "The protest was held on the eve of McDonald's transfer to the state prison system, where she will serve out a sentence of 41 months for "defending herself [against racist and transphobic attackers,](http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/05/cece_mcdonald_and_the_high_cost_o...)" read a statement issued by the The CeCe McDonald Support Committee. According to the Committee, Leslie Feinberg was arrested in connection with the graffiti and is facing charges of property damage. On Friday, Colorlines.com's gender matters blogger Akiba Solomon will bring you more in depth reporting on the case. Below is an excerpt from Feinberg's statement released by the CeCe McDonald Support Committee.